Vendors who sell religious icons on stalls built along D. Jakosalem Street in Cebu City have until Wednesday, October 16, to vacate their vending area. CDN Digital photo | Delta Dyrecka Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines –The Cebu City Prevention, Restoration, Order, and Beautification Enhancement (PROBE) team has postponed the demolition of the Sto. Niño vendors in D. Jakosalem Street from October 17, 2019 to October 22, 2019.
According to PROBE head Racquel Arce, the demolition of the vendors was postponed to give way to the scheduled demolition of 50 structures in the Barangay Pasil riverside.
The demolition was already set as the residents have all been relocated in a lot of Barangay Quiot Pardo and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) wanted the structures removed within the week for their river project.
With a limited number of personnel to conduct the demolition in Pasil, Arce said she decided to postpone the demolition of the permanent structures of the vendors in D. Jakosalem Street.
This would also allow the vendors more time to transfer to F. Gonzales Street, where they will be relocated.
Read: PROBE tells basilica vendors to vacate D. Jakosalem stalls
“Padayon gihapon nga tangtangon nato ang permanent structure dira sa Jakosalem. Ato lang usa gipostpone kay atong giprioritize ang Pasil. Pero ato gyod gihapon na (permanent structure) tangtangon,” said Arce.
(We will continue with the demolition of the permanent structures in D. Jakosalem Street. We just postponed it because we prioritized Pasil. Yet we will push through the demolition of the permanent structure.)
The clearing operation is still part of the city government’s compliance with the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG’s) order to clear all roads of obstruction,
Arce said that basilica vendors will still be allowed to sell using temporary stalls along D. Jaskosalem Street from Fridays to Sundays to bring them closer to the churchgoers.
A portion of D. Jakosalem Street that is located close to the basilica is closed to vehicular traffic during these days to allow churchgoers to occupy the road. Arce said they already coordinated with the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) to facilitate the road closure. /bmjo